FIG. 21 shows a conventional brake lever device, which comprises a bracket 42 mounted on a handlebar 41, and a brake lever 43 mounted on the bracket and pivotally movable about an axis 0. The bracket 42 has a portion 44 for holding the outer wire of a Bowden cable 49, and the brake lever 43 is provided with a portion 45 for holding the inner wire of the cable (see Examined Japanese Utility Model Publication SHO 60-3383).
With the above conventional brake lever device, the center 0 of movement of the brake lever 43 is at a large distance S from the central axis C of the handlebar 41 radially outwardly of the bar as illustrated. Accordingly, the brake lever device is projected radially outward from the handlebar 41 by an amount corresponding to the distance. The portions 44, 45 for holding the Bowden cable 49 are therefore projected from the handlebar 41 radially outward, so that the Bowden cable 49 is correspondingly likely to become engaged with an obstacle or the like while the bicycle is driven, hence hazardous. Moreover, the device in its entirety undesirably has a large size involving waste of materials.
Further if the distance L between the brake lever 43 and the handlebar 41 is definite, the brake becomes difficult to operate depending on the size of the rider's hand. Accordingly, an adjusting bolt 46 screwed through the bracket 42 in bearing contact with the brake lever 43 is turned and thereby moved axially thereof to alter the position of contact of the bolt 46 with the brake lever 43 and vary the opening distance L for the brake lever 43 for adjustment (see Examined Japanese Utility Model Publication SHO 56-14424).
With the conventional brake lever device described, the adjusting bolt 46 is positioned in a narrow space between the Bowden cable 49 and the handlebar 41 and is therefore difficult to move for adjustment. The arrangement is further unsightly.
The spacing between the wheel rim of the bicycle and the brake shoes, which must be maintained at the proper value, varies if the brake shoe wears or the opening distance L of the brake lever 43 is altered. In such a case, there arises a need to adjust the length of the inner wire, whereas the conventional device is not provided with means for readily adjusting the length of the inner wire, which therefore requires a cumbersome adjusting procedure.
The object of the present invention is to overcome the foregoing problems.